There has long existed a need for a simple and economical divider arrangement which can be used to separate various classification of files, books and other classifiable articles. It is a requirement of such divider systems that they be placed longitudinally, at spaced intervals, along a shelf. This placement permits the numbers of files in the various classifications to be varied, while maintaining the remaining files in desired vertical positions. Vertical positioning maximizes the utilization of space in a file cabinet drawer or on a shelf, and prevents warping of the documents stored within the files.
Several divider arrangements have been proposed in the prior art, which divider arrangements have functioned well, but have not been simple in their construction and inexpensive to the purchaser. One well known divider system for a file cabinet drawer is formed of a sheet material, such as a sheet metal, which has been formed in two parts, a divider part and a track engagement part. The track engagement part is provided with a base having a forwardly projecting tongue which has a substantially T-shaped form. Underneath the base is provided a locking portion which is bent to have depending flanges in an inverted U-shaped configuration. The locking portion is secured to the base by a screw, a rivet, or the like. Above the base is provided the divider portion of the arrangement, which physically separates the files. Finally, the locking portion engages with a track which must have sufficient depth to accommodate the flanges of the U-shaped locking portion and a shaft which bears a cam for locking the divider arrangement at a desired location along the track.
In addition to its obvious complexity, this known divider arrangement requires a substantial track depth which consumes a considerable volume within a file cabinet. Moreover, such a divider arrangement is not suitable for shelving because, for long runs of shelving, the cam shaft with its associated trunion bearings is prohibitively expensive. In addition, this arrangement is very inconvenient for use in conjunction with long shelves, and the actuation of the shaft would release all of the dividers on the shelf, even though only one or two dividers thereon may be desired to be affected. The prior art has endeavored to overcome the complexity and expense of the known divider arrangements by providing a further device constructed of bent sheet metal which has been formed into a loop with resilient arms and provided with bent flanges which engage beneath the flanges of a track. The apex of the bend of one of the flanges of the loop is provided with a sheet metal tongue, and the other bend, at its apex, is provided with matching aperture such that when the flanges of the loop are engaged with the track, the tongue engages with the aperture at the respective bends of the loop to prevent the resilient arms of the loop from moving laterally with respect to each other and out of alignment. Although this known arrangement provides substantial advantages in terms of diminished complexity and cost over the divider arrangement discussed hereinabove, this arrangement nevertheless requires the stamping of a blank for forming the resilient loop, the production of the tongue and the aperture, the notching of a base on which the files rest, and the installation of a track and a notch. Thus, notwithstanding that this arrangement does not require a shaft with a cam, as does the previously discussed arrangement, this arrangement has the disadvantages that it is longitudinally relatively thick and therefore takes up substantial file space on the shelf or in the drawer where it is installed. In addition, the known configuration is deeper at the bottom that at the top thereby being adaptable for restraining files predominantly in one direction only.
Many of the disadvantages of the foregoing prior art arrangements are overcome by a further known divider arrangement (U.S. Pat. No. 1,477,234) which is formed of a spring wire which is curved to form a vertical loop which supports the files in their vertical position. This further known arrangement is provided with a rod which is arranged parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the drawer or shelf on which it is arranged and is raised above the base of the shelf or drawer by several inches. The rod, therefore, runs longitudinally along side the upright files. The divider is provided with a coiled end which is spiraled around the rod in a direction opposite to the force applied against the loop by the vertical files. Thus, although this arrangement is simple and inexpensive, it is subject to the disadvantages of requiring a rod to be placed along side the stack of files, and of allowing the files to be placed on only one side of the divider. In addition, in embodoments where the files are placed on a shelf, the rod renders difficult removal of the files from one side of the shelf and, in filing systems which utilize long shelves, periodic reinforcements are required for the rod.
Anothr known shelf divider arrangement involves a plurality of longitudinally spaced slots running the length of the horizontal shelf base. The vertical shelf back also carries spaced slots in alignment with the horizontal slots on the shelf base. A divider comprising a flat piece of sheet metal is provided with engagement membeers at respective orthogonal edges which fit into corresponding slots on the base member and the vertical back. Clearly, this known arrangement requires careful alignment of the vertical and horizontal slots, thereby greatly increasing the cost of manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,581 to P. Frederick and assigned to the present assignee describes an improved form of office filing cabinet comprising the use of vertical separators spaced apart horizontally on each shelf. The structural support provided by these separators eliminates the donwturned lip present on standard prior art shelves. This downturned lip, often as much a 11/2 to 2 inches in depth, represents wasted space, so that, for example a 12 inch wide shelf actually takes up 14 inches. As described in the patent, if the separators are affixed to the shelf and the vertical back thereof, they will provide the necessary stiffening of the shelf eliminating the need for the downturned lip.
The present invention comprises an improvement of the shelf disclosed in the '581 patent by combining it with the novel divider arrangement described herein.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive file divider arrangement which overcomes many of the disadvantages of the prior art and yet is simple and economical.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a shelf with a divider arrangement which can be formed easily without the need for continuous tracks, flanges, or other structurally supported elements.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a shelf with a divider arrangement which can support files, books, or other items from either side thereof.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a shelf with a divider arrangement which does not require substantial longitudinal space on a shelf or in a drawer of a file cabinet.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a shelf with a divider arrangement which is simple in construction, and can be inserted, or removed, in a simple operation.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a divider arrangement which, when utilized on a horizontal shelf filing system, can be easily inserted from the underside of a shelf without difficulty.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a shelf with a divider arrangement wherein the base does not require a separate track arrangement affixed thereto.
It is also another object of this invention to provide a divider system wherein dividers can be used at spaced intervals along a horizontal shelf where desired, and wherein the dividers themselves are easily fabricated from somewhat resilient material.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved shelf for a filing cabinet which utilizes the divider arrangement described herein to provide stiffening and rigidity to the shelf thereby eliminating the need for a downturned lip.